The Curious Case of Lady Purbeck: A Scandal of the XVIIth Century

In the fevered years of Elizabeth’s later reign and the early days of James I, the English court hums with political and personal ambition. Sir Edward Coke, the formidable Attorney‑General, has just lost his young wife Bridget and, grief‑stricken yet determined, begins the search for a new partner who can match his status and his estate. He sets his sights on a striking twenty‑year‑old widow, celebrated for her beauty, wealth and a quick wit that once earned her a role in Ben Jonson’s masque.

Her name, Lady Purbeck, soon draws the attention of another ambitious figure—a bright, briefless barrister who later becomes Lord Chancellor, and also a cousin of a powerful noble family. Their rivalry turns a private courtship into a public scandal, exposing the fragile balance between love, power, and reputation in a world where marriage is as much a political contract as a personal bond. Listeners will be drawn into the delicate negotiations, sharp letters, and the intense atmosphere of a house where every alliance could shift the fortunes of England’s elite.